The demand for wireless local area networks is expected to undergo an explosive growth as short-range ad-hoc wireless network devices, such as Bluetooth devices, become readily available in the market place. Personal area networks (PANs) will be deployed in areas like airports, hotels, and convention centers. These PANs (also known as pico networks) advantageously can provide high-bandwidth local connectivity for the mobile user at a low cost. PAN applications range from simple email transfers to high content web page downloads and real-time video.
Currently, PAN devices in the U.S. operate over the unlicensed 2.4 GHz ISM (Industrial Scientific and Medical) spectrum under the FCC part 15 rules. These rules require neighboring wireless networks to operate in accordance with frequency hopping plans that are not frequency-coordinated among the neighboring wireless networks. The unrestricted access to the ISM spectrum exposes the devices to interference problems that can be classified into two categories. The first category regards the interference caused by non-PAN devices. Interferers within this category include cordless phones, microwave ovens, and other types of wireless local area networks. The second interference category includes other similar PAN devices which operate in the vicinity of a PAN. Interferers in this category may be part of the PAN or of any other neighboring PAN. This type of interference is referred to as self-interference, and it can reduce the throughput of the PAN.
Thus, what is needed is a method and apparatus for minimizing a probability of self-interference among neighboring wireless networks operating in accordance with differing frequency hopping plans that are not frequency-coordinated among the neighboring wireless networks.